We started coming in October 1999....and on our first visit we had hurricane Jose October 20... which was a category 2...and we got 20 inches of rain in 48 hours. There was one death from a mudslide. We stayed at St. Tropez on Orient beach.

And then the sun came out....and it was unbelievable how fast the folks started repairing everything. I know that it cannot compare to the devastation that occurred during this hurricane Irma ...but I keep seeing in my minds eye the way the people pulled together and worked so diligently to get things up and running.

Willy was the first Club Orient person we met...because Papagayo was the first restaurant to reopen...and she waited on us. It was her kindness that won us over and we came back that very next April and have been doing so ever since.

It is not just the beauty of St. Martin...it is the beauty of her people...that draw us back year after year.

It is my understanding that Club Orient employs the most people on the French side...I cannot help but think that for economical reasons alone...it so needs to be rebuilt.

I pray all of the owners of Club Orient...will unify with the same spirit We have seen displayed year after year...and do what is best for St. Martin.

I know in my heart...that spirit will rebuild this beautiful Island and we will return again.